If you’re going to take up floral gardening, or if you just want to maintain your own garden of flowers or herbs, there are a few tools you’ll need to be sure you can properly care for your plants. Without maintaining a garden, you might not be able to grow a diverse amount of species. Your box will also fill up fairly quickly, leaving you with limited space in your home garden.

Wire and Cutters

Floral wire, or chicken wire for the cost-conscious, are essential in creating beautiful floral arrangements that last. Flower snips cut stems, not metal wire, so it’s important to have something you can use for the job at hand.

Snips

A good pair of floral snips is essential when you’re pruning your flowers. Good snips should be lightweight, and remain sharp after several cuttings. If you make arrangements frequently, it might be worth it to shell out extra money for better quality snips that retain sharpness. Look for thin, pointed blades that are easier to maneuver with. If you buy right, your hands should feel comfortable without exerting too much pressure.

Pruners

Pruning shears are important when you want to groom your garden, or “pluck” a flower for an arrangement. Just like with snips, good pruning shears should feel comfortable in the palm of your hand and shouldn’t require too much force to close. Avoid big, heavy pruning shears meant for cutting branches. They are far too much for the job of cutting flowers.

About the Author: Phineas Upham is an investor at a family office hedgefund, where he focuses on special situation illiquid investing. Before this position, Phin Upham was working at Morgan Stanley in the Media and Telecom group. You may contact Phin on his Phineas Upham website or Facebook page.